Ali Biju must explain to Krian electorate on decision to withdraw - Awang Tengah

KUCHING: Datuk Ali Biju must explain to the voters in the Krian constituency of his decision to withdraw from contesting the seat so that they will vote for the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate instead, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said today.

He said Ali, who is Sarawak Bersatu vice-chairman, and his supporters should also give their full support to Krian GPS candidate, Friday Belik, in the upcoming polls.

"I hope he (Ali) will explain to his supporters so that they will give support to the GPS candidate.

"He has openly stated (to withdraw from contesting) even though his name remains on the ballot paper and this should be his responsibility to explain to the voters in the constituency," he said here today.

Awang Tengah was met by reporters after a working visit to the Taiyo Yuden (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd project site in the Sama Jaya Industrial Estate.

Yesterday, Ali, the Krian seat incumbent and also the Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced that he was withdrawing from contesting as an independent candidate, and said that he was giving his full support to the GPS candidate.

Ali said his decision was to preserve the consensus and strengthen cooperation between Perikatan Nasional (PN) and GPS.

-- BERNAMA